


Ain't My Blood (But He's Mine)

by lj_todd



Category: 9-1-1 (TV), The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Abandonment, Adoption, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Athena is Buck's Mom, Bobby Adopts Buck, Bobby is Buck's Dad, Cancer, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abandonment, Crossover, Daniel Lives, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Drama, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Saviour Sibling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:34:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lj_todd/pseuds/lj_todd
Summary: Evan Buckley can not clearly remember his life before the age of three. It’s all fuzzy like memories of a dream and he has no problem with that. He’s got parents and a family that love him enough to more than make up for whatever came before so he doesn’t give any thought to anything from before.Or he didn’t.Now it’s knocking at the door with demands and expectations, trying to, once again, place the weight of the world on his shoulders.Only this time, Buck is not a child and he’s not alone.
Relationships: Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Athena Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Bobby Nash, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Tim Bradford
Comments: 19
Kudos: 121
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Ain't My Blood (But He's Mine)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kbl55429](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kbl55429/gifts).



> Inspired by this [prompt](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29500587) by kbl55429.
> 
> I didn't follow the prompt 100% but this is what I was inspired to write so I ran with it and I hope everyone enjoys it!  
> (Tags will likely be added/updated as the story progresses)

Evan Buckley could not clearly remember his life before meeting Bobby and Marcy Nash when he was four.

He could remember the year before that, the year of five different foster families and never quite finding the right fit and always being too shy, too quiet, too standoffish, always waiting, it seemed, for the other shoe to drop and to be shuffled along to the next patiently waiting family who, eventually, would pass him on to the next.

But anything before that was blurry like memories of a dream.

One of those memories though was a little clearer. Of a dark haired girl with a loving smile who would hold him and read him stories. He was certain she was his sister but, no matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn’t remember what her name was. But he held onto to those fuzzy memories for comfort. He did so more after he was sent back to child services facility by his fifth foster family.

He had been back at the dorm, as the older kids called it, for nearly two weeks when Miss June, one of the workers, escorted a couple into the large common room.

Tucked away in a corner, keeping to himself as he had since arriving back here, he hadn’t paid much attention to the adults. He knew he wouldn’t be picked. No one wanted the broken kids. Even as little as he was he knew that. So he stayed in the corner and just kept reading his book.

So he was surprised when, unexpectedly, the man who’d come in with Miss June was kneeling next to him.

“Hi, there,” the man said with a kind smile. “That looks like a really good book.”

Buck chewed his lip and shuffled back a bit, fingers tightening against the book, his gaze dropping to the page he had been reading.

“It’s Corduroy,” Buck said quietly, voice barely above a whisper, gaze fixed on the picture of the little teddy bear with bright green overalls. “He’s looking for his lost button so someone will take him home and love him forever and ever.”

The man’s smile never wavered but something odd flickered through his eyes as he nodded.

“I don’t think I’ve ever read that one,” the man said. “But it sounds really good. Do you think maybe you could read it to me?”

Buck blinked and stared at the man for a moment.

No one had ever paid much attention to him so he wasn’t quite sure what to make of the man who, despite Buck’s quietness, just kept on smiling.

“My name’s Bobby, by the way. What’s yours?”

Buck chewed his lip for a second before he turned the pages of the book back to the start.

“Evan,” he replied in a still quiet voice. “Some people call me Buck.”

In truth the only person who had called him _Buck_ had been an older boy, Malcolm, who had decided that, given there were three other kids named Evan in the dorm, one of whom was a girl, Buck had needed a way to stand out. Malcolm wasn’t at the dorm any more, he had aged out shortly after giving Buck his nickname and, as of yet, Buck hadn’t really opened up enough to anyone to share the nickname.

The man, Bobby, nodded though, his smile growing just a touch as he settled more comfortably next to Buck.

“Buck,” he said and something about how it was said, all friendly and caring, caused something in Buck to thump funnily. “Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Buck.”

Buck hummed and looked down at the book.

“I can read it now if you want.”

He didn’t see it but Bobby’s smile widened a touch.

“Whenever you’re ready, bud.”

Buck nodded and then, slowly, quietly, began to read the story of Corduroy the Bear and his search for a friend. During the entire time Bobby paid attention, helping him only once when he fumbled over how to pronounce a word, and, for the first time in probably ever, Buck felt seen. He felt, for those few minutes, like he mattered to someone. And he wanted that feeling to last forever.

As he finished the book, Buck looked up, expecting Bobby to maybe look bored or like he was ready to go, but instead he just found that kind smile directed at him.

“You did real good, Buck,” Bobby said, still smiling and that warm feeling spread through Buck again and, desperate to hold onto it, he found words tumbling out of his mouth.

“I can read another book,” he said, gesturing towards the little bookshelf just behind Bobby. “You can pick and…and…and I can read it.”

Bobby’s smile never wavered, if anything it got a little bigger, a little warmer and he half turned, surveying the shelf before picking up one.

“How about,” Bobby said as he turned back to Buck, settling down next to the little boy more comfortably. “This time, I read to you?”

Buck’s eyes widened a touch.

When was the last time someone had read to him? Not helped him to read but actually just read him a story?

He thought of that fuzzy memory, the dark haired girl with the loving smile, and couldn’t help but nod.

“Okay then,” Bobby said with a gentle chuckle as Buck carefully, cautiously, tucked himself in close to the man’s side, head resting against Bobby’s shoulder. “I think you’ll like this story, Buck, it’s one of my favourites.”

Buck felt another shot of warmth as Bobby began to read, the man’s voice painting the story of Ferdinand the Bull with care. His eyes were fixed on the colourful pages of the book, his attention fixed on Bobby’s voice giving life to the story, and he snuggled closer against the man. He wasn’t aware that he had started to doze until a new voice, a woman’s voice, startled him.

“I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

Buck jerked sharply, settling only because Bobby’s hand rubbed over his side soothingly, and looked up to find the woman who had come in with Bobby and Miss June smiling down at them.

“Hey, honey,” Bobby said. “Sorry. Buck and I were reading.”

“I see that,” the woman chuckled and looked at Buck with a smile as warm and gentle as Bobby’s had been. “And you must be Buck.” He nodded up at her and watched as her smile widened. “It’s very nice to meet you Buck, I’m Marcy. Bobby’s wife.”

Buck was surprised when Marcy held out her hand and, though a little wary, Buck reached out to shake it.

“Hi,” he said softly as Marcy knelt down.

“Do you like reading, Buck?”

Buck nodded.

“It helps me learn,” he explained and Marcy nodded.

“Do you have a favourite,” she asked and Buck gave a small nod, reaching down to lightly touch the cover of Corduroy, which he had left on the floor.

“He’s looking for a friend, a family,” Buck explained, missing the look that passed between Bobby and Marcy. “Like me.”

He was surprised when Bobby hugged him but was distracted when Marcy reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, the gesture so kind and loving that Buck immediately leaned into it.

“How about we let Bobby finish Ferdinand for us,” Marcy suggested as she sat. “And then maybe we can pick another book to read?”

Buck nodded eagerly and Bobby chuckled, the sound vibrating through Buck like a hug and his focus returned to the story. They read three more books after that before Bobby and Marcy had to leave. They hugged him, Bobby murmuring a promise against Buck’s hair to be back real soon even as Marcy kissed his temple and told him everything would be okay.

Buck, sad but hopeful, watched them leave while clutching the books Bobby had read to him to his chest.

**_oOoOoOo_ **

Bobby Nash looked back at the little boy, Buck, as he and Marcy followed the social worker from the common room and wanted nothing more than to go back and just pick Buck up and take him home right now. Buck was such a sweet little boy and Bobby couldn’t understand how anyone who met him couldn’t immediately fall in love with him.

He was drawn back to the conversation between his wife and the social worker when Marcy lightly touched his arm.

“I saw you seemed to make a connection with Evan,” the social worker, June, was saying and Marcy nodded with a smile as June led them into a small office. “Which, I have to say, is surprising.”

“Why is that,” Bobby asked as he and Marcy sat on the little sofa in the room while June moved to fetch a folder from a filing cabinet.

“Evan has been in five foster homes in a year,” June explained as she opened the folder and looked at the files, not surprised at the way both Bobby and Marcy looked at her. “And in each one there were reports of standoffishness, being withdrawn and general antisocial. And the families just didn’t know how to deal with it or thought there was something wrong beyond their abilities to help.”

“I’m hearing a but,” Marcy said as Bobby took her hand, lacing their fingers.

“But,” June said with a small smile. “There were no reports of violence or outbursts of any kind. In fact his last foster family made it a point of explaining he was great kid just not a good fit for their home. In my opinion, being abandoned the way he was impacted Evan deeply. It’s not that he thinks or feels people don’t care about him it just that…well…”

“He’s waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Bobby guessed. “He’s waiting for them to get tired of him and just leave.”

June nodded with a sorrowful look on her face.

“He really is a sweet kid,” she said, handing the folder over for Marcy and Bobby to look at. “And we really do feel he is a good candidate for adoption, especially considering how he came to be in our care.”

Bobby frowned as he read over the initial police report.

_Minor, found alone and unattended at bus depot at 240 E Kellog Blvd on 08/25/1995 at 21:43_  
_Note found in jacket pocket, see attached_

Bobby’s frown deepened as he flipped the page and found a photocopy of the note, typed not handwritten, the police had found.

_My name is Evan Buckley. I am three. My birthday is June 27. My family cannot take care of me anymore. Please help me._

Marcy, reading over Bobby’s arm, let out a low, angry sound and shook her head.

“Who abandons a little boy at a bus station with just a note,” she demanded and she looked up at the social worker. “Were his parents ever identified?”

“We never were able to find any family,” June explained, sounding as upset over the whole ordeal as Bobby and Marcy felt. “And he was never listed as a missing person and no one ever came forward when we circulated his picture through the local and state news outlets.” June sighed and shook her head. “Breaks my heart when we get cases like Evan’s. The only good thing to come from it is that, usually, after a year, a judge will rule that the child is a permanent ward of the state and we can work at finding a family to adopt them rather than leave them in care long term.”

“Has that happened in Evan’s case,” Bobby asked, getting a knowing and approving look from Marcy, and June’s expression shifted to something a little happier.

“It has,” June said with a nod. “Judge Werner signed off on it three weeks ago.”

“Good.” Bobby looked at Marcy. “What do you think, honey?”

Marcy smiled and leaned into him a bit before looking back up at June.

“I think we need to get some paperwork underway.”

June smiled brightly and nodded, thrilled beyond words at the prospect of a child as sweet as Evan finally getting a real home. She had known and worked with Bobby and Marcy for three years now and she was pleased to be able to help them permanently bring a child into their home. No one, in her opinion, deserved to be parents more than they did. Thankfully, because of their exemplary record and the situation and a kindly judge who would be more than willing to push some paperwork through, she knew it wouldn’t take long for the adoption to go through.

A week, and many visits between the Nashs and Buck, later and Bobby and Marcy took Buck, now Evan Nash, home for good.


End file.
